"The Trial of Tony Blair", More4, 15/1/07

[Belinkabelle 10]

Did anyone see this programme? What are your thoughts?

 

I found it interesting and quite entertaining. The depiction (some would argue 'reality') of Blair as a paranoid, mentally unstable megalomaniac was intriuging. Robert Lindsay did an excellent job of portraying Blair's clipped composure and simultaneous egocentric obsession with his 'legacy'. Bit of a danger of slipping into the realms of pantomime with the characterisation of David Cameron as a weak-willed puppet, clamouring to be part of yoof culture. On second thoughts, did Cameron play himself??

 

For those that didn't see it, the programme is to be repeated on C4 tomorrow at 10pm. Part two is on More4 at 9pm this Saturday.

 

I wonder if Gordon Brown will be tuning in...

[cgksheff 44]

I watched it on Channel 4 last night.

 

I found it very entertaining.

Excellent writing and great casting.

[LordChaverly 10]

Although entertaining, I think it was fundamentally misleading because it painted a more favourable picture of Blair than he deserves. Its central premise was that Blair, although utterly self-obsessed and conceited, had a conscience and in his quieter moments was tortured by guilt and by the ghosts of the victims of his Iraq policy (the Banquo's ghost syndrome).

 

I don't think that this will ever happen. Blair will in my view always ratonalise his actions in ways favourable to himself and will never lose a wink of sleep over the deaths he is responsible for (because he will never admit responsibility, not even to himself). He is an example of the 'right man' syndrome - i.e. he always thinks he is right. I think it fits Blair to a tee. He is a monstrous egotist with delusions of grandeur and cares only about himself and his nearest and dearest. Combine these qualities with a complete lack of judgement and even common sense, and you have Blair's foreign policy.

[Funky_Gibbon 42]

It was a C4 hatchet job on Blair. They've done them before and will do them again as long as they think they can get ratings out of them.

 

They might use real names because they know they won't get sued (I'm sure they'd love that) but it doesn't change the fact that its a work of fiction no matter whether it matches some people's opinions.